Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-11
Six Men Crushed to Death at the ST.
Anthony Elevator Rims in
Minneapolis.
An Avalanche Of Steaming Wheat and
Hot Stone Poured Upon a Gang
of ShOYelerS.
How the Calamity Occurred Affecting
Scenes at the Identification OF
the Remains,

A terrible fatality occurred early Thurs
day morning at the ruins of the st. An
thony elevator, in southeast Minneapo-
lis, resulting In very heavy loss of life
Through the unforeseen crashing o. wall
at least seven men were entombed and
only one rescued alive, Six corpses were
taken from the trench, and it is doubtful,
even yet, If the full extent of the calam-
ity is known. The scene of the disaster
was the ruin of large annex of the st.
Anthony elevator, which burned two
weeks ago. The 100000 or 100000 bush
els of wheat it contained were sold to a
syndicate headed by Pratt, Potter & Co,
and the purchasers had over 100 men en-
gagged in removing the wheat to cars
About thirty were at work on the south
side OF the building and near its center
where the accident occurred. A train of
cars stood on the Northern Pacific track
to receive the wheat which the men, divi-
ded into three gags, loaded into it. Ten
men shoveled the grain into baskets
which ten more carried to the cars, the
! remainder empting and returning them
The wheat had overlooked a stone wall,
which was standardization of the ele-
vator, and this wheat, partially cooled
was being first removed. Nine men were
at work under the walls. and John Grimb-
ley, the tlmekeeper, had just taken the
names, when a cry of warming came from
the train above. The wall was seen to
totter, and in an instant section of near
ly sixty feet in length had fallen over,
burying the men beneath its ruins. II
was followed by a deluge of wheat, some
OF it
NEARBY RED HOT
which poured over the spot and covered
1t as the waters close when a vessel foun-
ders. With cry of horror the remain
ing workmen fed from the spot until as
sured the danger was over, when rapid
work for the recovery of the bodies was
begun. Andrew Hendricks was at york
partially up the bank, and was taken out
bruised and bleeding. but will re-
cover. 1t was evident from the first
that nothing but dead bodies would be
rescued from the smoking mass of debris,
but the men worked with a will, cooling
with cOpious floods of water the hot
stones and sinking wheat. In two hours
six bodies had been exhumed and the
bottom Of the trench had not been
reached. The corpses were terribly
mutilated and it was evident death had
US0u 1dIleOuS. L rom Gn0 system
of time-keeping it was impossible to tell
how many men had been at work, as well
as who they we're, SO while the task of
removing the wheat went on, the spot
was surrounded by an anxious crowd, in
Guiding many from the city, where word
had at once been sent. The patrol wagon
arrived and removed the bodies to the
city, while the search went On. I. III
Trett, brakeman, who saw the wall fall,
was positive nine men had been over
whelmed and the search was kept up all
day, without success. The time book
showed the names of John Gunderson and
Ole Swat, but it was impossible to tell
whether they had come to work yesterday
morning, as the accident happened be-
fore the time keeper made his rounds.
At O'Clock no more bodies had deem dis
covered, but crew of men had been at
work all night, without having had, up to
this time made any fresh discoveries.
The spot was visited by thousands of
people during the day and the terrible &C
cident created profound impression.